A new survey by American Century Investments examines
Millennials’ preferences pertaining to “impact” or “environmental, social and
governance” (ESG) investing programs.

Matching the common assumption made about the generation’s
investing preferences, American Century’s data suggests Millennials do in fact strongly favor investment opportunities
that consider more than just a bottom-line return. Many would be willing to sacrifice
some financial return to ensure their investments met certain ethical
standards, often having to do with the environment and social justice issues.

Overall slightly more than half (51%) of Millennials say
they view ESG/impact investing ideas favorably, while just 37% of Gen Xers and
32% of Baby Boomers agree. Millennials are also far and away the most likely to
say their investments’ impact on society and the environment should be among the
most important and primary considerations when building portfolios.

There is a range of ESG/impact investing themes that capture
Millennial’s attention. For example, one in three Millennials said “health care,
including disease prevention and cures,” is what “matters most to them if they
were to make an impact investment.” It should be noted that American Century
provides investment opportunities along these lines.